Downhill
by Andelin
Summary: Eleanor might not fear the repercussions Jasper's past could have on her life, but he is not willing to let them find out how far some people are willing to go to ruin them. Can their love survive more secrets and lies or will everything go downhill? [Post-03x05]
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I don't own anything.

The story takes place after 03x05

* * *

A kiss on the inside of her thigh roused Eleanor from sleep. Still half slumbering, she concentrated on the pleasure her boyfriend brought her - on her hips, her stomach, her breasts and finally her lips. Giving into his advances, she lifted her upper body from the mattress when Jasper sat up to leave the bed behind. Her lips stayed pressed to his as long as they could, before she had to let go, sinking back into her pillow.

Still keeping her eyes shut, she roled to her side, pulling the blanket over her head. Jasper pulled the blanket down a bit again and planted another kiss on her cheek. With a groan, Eleanor opened one eye, trying to figure out why her boyfriend wouldn't let her sleep.

"Why are you dressed?" she asked him, taking in his suit covered body.

"Because I have to work. Liam wants to go into town for a new tuxedo. No idea why he can't have people bring him one. He really is too independent for a Prince."

"And what are you waking me for then?" she closed her eye again, cuddling further into the pillow.

Jasper, knowing how hard it is to get his girl out of bed, pulled at the blanket again, ripping it away from her body.

Met with the cold air of the bedroom, she groaned out again. "Jaspuhhh, why?!" she drew out his name.

"It's almost 11 a.m. and the stylists with your dresses for the party will be here in a few minutes. Believe me, I let you sleep as long as I could."

"I still could have stayed in bed until they arrived," Eleanor argued.

"You do know that you are naked, right?"

"Nothing they haven't seen before."

"Well, let's try to keep your body for my viewing pleasure only, okay?" Jasper pulled her up from the bed, bringing her body smack to his. With his hand in her hair, he gave her one finale kiss. "Have fun choosing a dress and try not to make the stylist's life hell."

He turned around to leave and Eleanor walked over to her couch to pick up Jasper's dress shirt from the day before. Right when she finished buttoning the shirt, there was a knock on her door.

At her "Come in," three stylists pushed a rack full of dresses into the room. Knowing their place in the monarchy, neither of them even took a second look at the form of undress the princess was finding herself in at the moment.

Eleanor strutted over to the clothing rack, hastily browsing through her options.

"Urgh! How can anything be this ugly?" Eleanor took a dress from the hanging rail and threw it across the room. "Are you sure these are not meant for my mother?" she growled at the stylists. The leader of the pack suddenly became a flurry of activity, trying to temp the princess with some of the pieces.

Close to giving up hope, Eleanor made a find at the second to last dress. "This I can work with." She took the dress down and laid it on her bed. "You can leave," she ordered the stylists out.

After a shower and some fresh clothes, she sat down at her vanity, applying her make-up. Checking her phone for any messages from Jasper, she remembered that she promised _InStyle_ a callback about the feature they wanted to run on her. After today's fashion disaster, her mind was set on styling herself for the shoot, just like they offered her.

After being redirected three times, _does no one know how to treat a princess_ , she got Andrew Hopkins on the phone. He was delighted that she wanted to style herself and promised to send over some general ideas the day after New Year's. They decided on Thursday, January 5 as the date for the photoshoot and interview, to get it finished in time for the spring issue. As she was still without a full-time bodyguard, she considered asking Liam if he would lend her Jasper for the day. He was so supportive in regards to the feature and she really wanted him to be part of that experience.

Knowing that Jasper will be working all day, so he can have the night off for the ball, she ordered breakfast and made herself comfortable on the couch to watch another episode of _'Royal & Beautiful'_. There is nothing like a lazy day, watching TV, when the boyfriend is occupied. Somehow he does not find the show funny at all, anyway.

Hansel von Liechtenstein could not occupy her attention for long though. Her mind kept wandering to tonight's New Year's Eve ball. It will be the first time Jasper will accompany her as her boyfriend – not sanctioned yet, due to Cyrus not giving a crap – but she was sick and tired of letting others dictate her life. She was happy with Jasper, as happy as she had ever been and she wanted the world to know. For tonight the world would only exists of Members of Parliament and other socialites, but they had to start somewhere. She knew that Jasper was nervous of the consequences his past could have on her reputation but she did not care. Her past did not scream _Virgin Mary_ either and the Henstridge monarchy survived that as well.

Somehow she managed to pass the day with TV shows, some research about fashion degrees at London universities and an hour long fighting with her mother about the jewelry she wanted to borrow. She had not heard from Jasper all day, so she sent him a text message, telling him that he was supposed to meet her in the ballroom at 8 p.m. His answer was a simple _thumbs up_ emoji.

She scheduled an hour to get ready for the party, so when 7 p.m. came along she hurried towards her vanity, applying her make-up extra carefully for their first official outing as a couple.

* * *

Naturally, Jasper arrived before Eleanor at the party, so he stuck to the door as to not miss her entrance.

When she arrived, he could not take his eyes off of her. She always looks stunning, be it in her riding clothes on the odd days she's with Charlie Jones, her short party dresses or a simple pair of jeans with a band t-shirt when she was cleaning her own room - which only happens when she wants to hear from James how proud he was of her.

But today beat all of these occasions. Her long, black sheer dress was as tight and see-through as always and her stilettos took her nearly up to his height. What was different today though, was the lack of overdone make-up on her face. He had seen her in every state of undress before, but this was a new look for her. And he loved it.

She walked over to him, twirling around when she arrived in front of him, to show him the open back of the dress, which ended just at the top of her butt. The whole bottom part of the dress was transparent and the top was embroidered with beads and wound around her neck, leaving her shoulders free. The outfit was completed with matching gold and citrine earrings and a big cuff bracelet. For Eleanor, this was _plain_.

She had changed so much in the past month since they officially became official. She was drug free, she drank as little as possible, she threw herself into her charity work and even considered going back to university. She was nothing like the girl he met on his first day on the job. She captivated him back then, now she took his breath away, every single moment.

"You look amazing," he greeted her with a drawn out kiss on her lips.

"You don't look too bad yourself, Mr. Frost. I love the new tux."

"Liam forced me to buy it. Apparently, I'm not allowed to wear the same one twice. No one will see the difference, they all look the same to me."

"Have you learned nothing from your time with me? No piece of clothing is the same and they all beg to be worn. Don't you want them to be happy that they get to cover your delectable body and end up on the floor of our bedroom later?"

"What has gotten you so silly, this evening?"

"You," was Eleanor's short answer. Not able to contain herself, she grabed him by the jacket lapel and pulled his head down to kiss him again. Jasper's hand found her back and he pulled her even closer to himself.

Lost in their kiss, they only realized that they got company when someone cleared their throat next to them. Letting go of each other, they looked up into the stone cold face of His Royal Highness, Prince Robert Henstridge. Even if it wouldn't be common knowledge that Robert did not approve of the couple's relationship, the current look on his face couldn't have made it more obvious.

"You know that you are surrounded by other people, not to mention the press, right? Don't make a spectacle of yourself."

Eleanor looked at her oldest brother in shock. He had never talked to her like this. Before Jasper could hold her back, she got up into Robert's face.

"What I do in my free time with my boyfriend is and will always be my decision. Things have changed around here, Robbie. I have grown up and me kissing my boyfriend is the tamest thing the press has ever seen me do. So, off you go, smoothing MP butts, I'm here to celebrate and I will do so the way I see fit."

Robert was always Eleanor's favorite and in the past she thought he would support her in all her decisions – good or bad. If he could not stand behind the best thing that has ever happened to her though, she had no trouble letting him know what she thought of him.

With one final penetrating look towards Jasper, Robert left the two of them behind.

"I need a drink!" Eleanor exclaimed, trying to pull her boyfriend over to the closest waitress.

"Why don't we dance instead," Jasper trieed to steer her away from her old behaviors. She was doing so well in the past few weeks, he did not want her to reach for a drink whenever she was feeling agitated again.

Much to his satisfaction she agreed and they took to the dance floor as a slow song starts to play. Unlike the first time they danced together all these months ago, they could not stop staring into each other's eyes, their hands clasped in a soft touch. Each part of their bodies that was touching tingled under their skin.

Next to them, the flash of a camera went off, interrupting their intimate moment.

"There are days I really wish Dad would have managed to abolish the monarchy," Eleanor picked up the conversation again.

"Why are you saying that?" Jasper gave her a puzzled look.

"I can't even be with my own boyfriend without being scrutinized by the people or my own brother for that matter. Sometimes I just wish for a simple life – just you and me."

"What would we do? Where would we live? You can't really consider leaving all of _this_ behind…" he pointed out the opulence of the ballroom to her.

"So you don't think I could make it? That I'm just a princess without any skills or talent?" Eleanor let go of Jasper's hand and took a step back.

"You bloody well know that I don't think that. If there is one person who can achieve anything they set their mind to, it's you. You are smart, driven, resilient and so talented. I just don't want you to make a drastic decision purely because your brother hates me."

"My brother doesn't hate you," Eleanor interrupted him.

"We both know very well that he does."

"I don't plan on leaving here, but in the end I can imagine many lives – rich or poor – but not one without you."

Jasper looked at her astound. "Come with me," he took her arm and led her out to the balcony. The balcony on which, roughly a year ago, their whole relationship changed. Apparently all their life defining moments had to take place on it.

"You can't mean what you just said. Eleanor, you can't give up your life for me."

"I never said that I will, that doesn't mean that I wouldn't though. If all goes well, we move into Kensington Palace and live the lifestyle of boring royalty. And in the worst case, we move to Shoreditch, I become a fabulous fashion designer and you guard some other rich and famous people. If you can't see this because you don't love me…"

"You know damn well that I love you," he interrupted her, offended. "I have been in love with you all this time. But I've hurt you so much, and am not deserving of your love. Still I hope every day that there is a place for me in your heart. Is there, Eleanor?"

She did not get the opportunity to answer, as the door to the balcony opened and her oldest brother interrupted them again.

"Lenny, mother wants to talk to you – alone." Robert did not even look at Jasper.

"Did you go tattling to her that I once again don't behave like the wholesome little princess?"

"I didn't think poorly of you before, but right now I might need to reconsider. You always did let yourself get influenced by the people you surround yourself with."

"You did not just say that." Eleanor's anger filled up the whole balcony. "What is your problem with Jasper, Robbie? You don't even know him!"

"And you do?" Robert shot back. "I always thought you were smart and wouldn't let yourself get conned into a relationship by a bloody American, who only wants you for your money. Had I known what was going on here, I would have left that island sooner."

"Hey, man! That's enough," Jasper stepped forward to defend his girlfriend. "You can come at me, but don't ever talk to your sister like that."

"What are you going to do about it, bodyguard? Shoot me?" Robert stepped closer to get into Jasper's face. "That will clearly help you win the heart of a princess. You should be lucky you are still here. It will take just one word from me and you are out. Of the palace, out of England and most importantly out of my sister's life. So if I were you, I would be careful how to talk to the Prince of Wales, Jasper from Las Vegas."

"Enough!" Eleanor stepped between the two men, forcing them apart. Jasper could usually bury his anger deep down and not say what he felt, but at this moment Eleanor feared an explosion and that would be the fasted way to get kicked out of the palace. Putting a hand on his chest to calm him down, she turned to her brother.

"Robbie, what is going on with you? Why are you acting like this?" Eleanor's anger got pushed aside by actual concern for her brother.

"Nothing is going on, I'm fine," he appeased her. "I'm just looking out for you and the family." He turned towards the door to get back to the ballroom. "Mother is still looking for you. You don't want to keep her waiting." With that, he stepped through the door and disappeared into the crowd.

Eleanor closed her eyes and leaned back against the stone railing, letting out an audible sigh. Jasper stepped in front of her, caging her in, with his arms on both sides of her.

"Are you alright?" he asked his girlfriend with worry in his tone.

"I don't know." She opened her eyes again, looking up into Jasper's face. "This is not the Robbie I have known all my life. I have never seen him openly attack anyone."

"A lot has changed in the past year. All of you changed. You had to grow up and become your own person – he is not used having you talk back at him. And we can only imagine what he went through on that island. The experience must have changed him too. And now with your father gone, he suddenly has to be the patriarch of the family. That must be a lot to handle for him."

"Why are you defending him? He insulted you mere minutes ago and plans on having you thrown out of the country."

"I'm not defending him. I just don't want the both of you to fight. You just got him back and I am not worth ruining your relationship over."

"You are worth everything," she stood up on her tiptoes to give him a lingering kiss.

"That might not be the right time or venue for a conversation like that. Why don't you go and see what your mother wants and I have a chat with James? It looks like I will need his support when it comes to Robert."

"Remember that I am the one with diplomatic immunity. I might be of bigger value to you than James is," she grinned up to him, the tense atmosphere slowly falling off from both of them.

"Nothing in my life is of bigger value than you." The look Jasper gave her, made her heart flutter. She did not care what Robbie, all the MPs in the ballroom or the press thought of her relationship with him. They belonged together and everyone who would try to get between them, could be certain that the princess was coming at them personally. Hell has no fury like a princess defied.

* * *

Her mother introduced her to a couple that wanted to start a charity with Eleanor's help. Something about providing girls from low-income families with clothes. She was not really paying attention to be honest. What she heard sounds great and she will look forward to working with them, but the fight with Robbie occupied her mind too much to listen to details. She promised to get in contact with them and sought out Jasper again.

She found him in a corner, talking to James who was on duty tonight.

"Foxy," she greeted him, giving him a hug.

"Princess," he answered back. "You look very beautiful."

Eleanor felt her cheeks blush. Receiving praise from James will always feel special to her. He was just what she needed after her father's death – someone who was proud of her, despite all of her wrongdoings. A father figure with Sara Alice as an annoying little sister.

"Where is Sara Alice, tonight?"

"I think right now, she is hanging on His Royal Highness, Prince Liam's coattail." Eleanor tried to make out her brother in the crowd, not wanting to miss this. Not seeing him, she turned back to James.

"Since Mr. Caterpillar moved on to a princess, she decided that now it was her turn to catch herself a real prince. When you see your brother, can you please tell him that her curfew is 10 p.m. though?" he joked with her.

"Will do. But first, I want to try dancing with my boyfriend again." She took Jasper's hand and pulled him towards the dancefloor. "I will see you later Foxy."

The couple found a spot close to the stage and started their second try at having a great New Year's Eve party.

"What did James have to say about Robert's behavior?" Eleanor wanted to know after a few minutes.

"He agrees that he possibly suffers from PTSD and advices us not to take him too seriously. In the end, he wants his sister to be happy and if a Las Vegas grifter holds her heart, he will have to arrive in the 21st century and realize that _protocol_ and _standing_ is not everything in life. He still promised my though, that he will have a word with him."

"Good old Foxy, saving the day again."

"We can handle your brother; I am still more concerned about the press. These people can be ruthless when they sense a good story. It's not fair to you, if they drag your name through the mud just because I made bad choices in life."

"I think we had this conversation before and I will tell you now, what I told you then: I want you. Your past, present and future. I can take what they dish out. I had my fair share of bad press. There is nothing they could write that will knock me down. And if all else fails, I will just send them a picture of your dick. They get why I want to be with you after that."

"And here I thought you left the bad girl behind," Jasper laughed with her.

"Oh, the bad girl is not gone. She just prefers to stay in the bedroom these days. Want to go and find out if she is there right now?"

"And miss the countdown?"

"You have two options, either you come with me and I give you a New Year's kiss on whichever body part you prefer or you stay here and risk Cyrus's ex-wife finding you. She likes them young and juicy."

Jasper visibly swallowed and checked that there was enough space between him and Veruca Popperwell.

"And is these arguments were not good enough, Sara Alice is on her way over. I'm sure she would just love to slow dance with her ex-boyfriend – if only to make Liam jealous."

"You should really stop teaching her stuff."

Out of the corner of his eyes, Jasper saw Sara Alice dragging Liam over to them. The determination on her face made his decision easy and just like the little girl, he draged the younger Henstridge twin away.

* * *

In their bedroom all thoughts of countdowns and fireworks were forgotten. Even in the early days, their sex was mind blowing. Now, with all the added emotions, the couple could go for hours, never sated by each other.

Jasper opened the small button that fastened the halter-neck strap of Eleanor's dress. The top part of the dress fell down immediately and Eleanor unzipped the skirt herself. Standing with her back to Jasper, he was able to enjoy her delectable backside clad in black hipster panties. He would never tire of this view. Undoing his bowtie, he watched her crawl onto their bed. Quickly ridding himself of his tuxedo, he ended up in his boxer briefs and joined his girlfriend between the sheets. Just like this morning, he worked his way up to her lips, placing kisses all over her body. They met in a fiery kiss, Jasper now fully straddling her body.

What starts out as a slow seduction, quickly turned heated. Hands all over each other, the remaining clothes coming off and tongues battling.

Jasper held Eleanor's hips still with one hand, while guiding himself into her opening with the other.

She held onto his shoulders, arching her back from the sudden fullness she experienced in her core. Being all the way in now, Jasper grabed his girlfriend's hips possessively with both hands and slowly sank in and out of her.

"Jaspuhh, please!" Eleanor screamed out, urging him to move faster.

Not listening to her pleas, Jasper kept up his slow movements. He knew that she liked it rough, just like he did, but sometimes the buildup made for a greater finish.

Eleanor's legs wound themselves around his hips and they pushed him further into her. Years of horseback riding gave Eleanor immense strength in her legs and she knew when to use this skill.

Jasper could not hold himself back any longer and sped his thrusts up. When she came, her walls grabed him so tight that he spilled into her just a few seconds later.

Catching himself on his forearms, he sank down into the mattress, his upper body still hovering over her.

"I needed that," Eleanor declared. "But don't you ever go slow on my again."

Jasper just laughed and gave her a kiss. Pulling out of her, he stood up, walking towards the bathroom.

"I could use a show. Do you want to join me for round two?"

Without a word, Eleanor jumped out of bed, racing past him.

* * *

Eleanor did not make it to midnight as Jasper exhausted her into unconsciousness. Lying on his side of the bed, he stared at the text message he just received from an unknown number. As the fireworks went off outside, he saw all of his dreams explode in front of his inner eye.


	2. Chapter 2

Eleanor rolled over, once again finding herself on Jasper's side of the bed. It was never a conscious decision to occupy his pillow, she just slept better when she was surrounded by his scent. Opening her eyes, she scanned the room, looking for her bodyguard-boyfriend. After last night she was hoping for a lazy day in bed, as she forced Liam to stay inside the palace today, giving Jasper a much needed day off.

Not seeing him anywhere in her room, she let out an audible sigh and cuddled further into the pillow. Nothing was as comfortable as the new bed she ordered after redecorating her room – their bed. No past lovers and no blackmail sex ever came in contact with this mattress. _New sheets for a new start_ , she joked in her head. She pressed her cheek against Jasper's pillow, inhaling his scent, smiling uncontrollably while thinking about last night. He loved her. Jasper loved her. After all they've been through, the secrets and lies, she never thought she could feel so much happiness. She never felt worthy of love, her mother never showed her any and Beck only ever wanted her to change. But Jasper had seen her at her lowest and never, ever steered away from her. He was looking out for her and saved her from herself like no one ever did before. She did not know how they managed to get to the relationship they had now, but if _forgiveness_ leads you to this place, she might consider using it more often.

As she still didn't hear anything from Jasper a few minutes later, she stretched out towards her nightstand to grab her phone. There was no message from him, so she opened up their chat to summon him back to their bed. Even though they got better at writing letters to each other, when text messaging, emojis were still her go-to form of communication. After letting him know that the princess was waiting in an empty bed, she waited for an answer that never came. It was not like him to disregard her messages. Apparently, actually words were needed. _Jasper, where are you?_ was the next message she wrote to him. Again, no answer. Sitting up in bed, she looked around the room again. Usually, there were some obvious signs of their cohabitation – a discarded dress shirt, his watch on the nightstand or a pair of sunglasses on the table – but she could not see any of these things from her current viewpoint. It looked like he was never here last night.

Leaving the warm bed behind, she made her way into the closet, grabbing a dress to quickly throw on. No need to get dressed properly when she planned on being naked again fairly soon - as soon as she found her boyfriend that was. Walking over to Jasper's part of the closet, she found all of his suits hanging neatly in a row. They never officially moved him into her bedroom, but as he spent every single night there, it would just be a waste of time to make him run across the palace to get dressed in his own room. They preferred to spent these extra minutes _vanquishing_ each other. Going through his rows of identical palace-issued suits, she noticed his personal clothes missing. There were no black jeans or t-shirts to be found anywhere.

She dashed back into her bedroom to find her phone and call him again. The phone rang and rang, but he never picked up. She tried to reach him two more times, before giving up and calling her twin brother instead. Unlike her boyfriend, he picked up after the third ring.

"Where is Jasper?" she barked into the phone.

"Good morning to you, too, dear sister," Liam greeted her.

"Where is Jasper?" Eleanor asked again, with even more bite in her voice. She was not up for proper greetings. After all, her boyfriend seemingly disappeared from bed.

"How should I know? I gave him the day off, just like you asked me to."

"He is gone and doesn't pick up his phone."

"Did you guys have a fight? Maybe he just needed to cool off for a bit," Liam tried to reason with his sister.

"We didn't fight. Quite the opposite actually. He told me that he loved me."

"Finally!" Liam exclaimed. "Good for you two. Some days, I thought he would burst if he didn't get it off his chest soon."

"Yeah, yeah, that is all great. But I planned to spent the day in bed and now I can't find him."

"Len, there is no need to overreact. Maybe he just went down to the kitchen to get you some breakfast or …"

"You are right!" Eleanor interrupted him. "He knows how much I crave bacon after he shagged me good the night before."

"I will pretend I didn't hear that", her brother groaned through the phone.

"Whatever. I have to go." Without waiting for a reply, Eleanor disconnected the call and slipped into some uggs.

Rushing through the halls of the palace, she walked as fast as her feet could carry her towards the kitchen. The sooner she found him, the sooner she could have her wicked ways with him again. Past the Red State Room, Liam's room, the Ball Room, Robbie's Room, …

"Eleanor?" her oldest brother called out to her when he saw her through his open door.

As Eleanor was not stopping for him, he stepped out into the hallway.

"We need to talk", he yelled after her retreading figure.

Arriving in the kitchen, she stopped the first maid that walked past her.

"Have you seen Jasper Frost?"

"I beg your pardon, your Highness?" the maid seemed confused to be addressed by the princess.

"Jasper Frost! Tall, blonde, bodyguard," she explained with obvious annoyance in her voice. "Have you seen him down here?"

"I'm sorry, no, your Highness."

Eleanor let go of the girl's arm and yelled through the whole kitchen: "Has anyone here seen goddamn Jasper Frost this morning?"

She was only met with scared looks and shaking heads. Letting out a frustrated groan, she turned on her heels and made her way back into the hall.

This was not how she imagined this morning to go. She did not even understand why she was so enraged by not finding him. But after what happened last night, his sudden disappearance left a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach.

She could only think of two more places where he could be: the library and the surveillance room. As it was his day off though, the surveillance room would be an odd choice. Maybe he decided to get some work done while she was sleeping. Sometimes she thought, he was still trying to prove his worth to the family. An intention that apparently did not impress her oldest brother at all. And neither the library, nor the surveillance room would explain why he did not answer his phone.

Speaking of the devil, entering one of the halls on her way to the library, she saw Robbie leaning against the doorframe to his room.

"Eleanor", he tried to stop his sister.

"Not now", she rushed past him again.

"We really need to talk."

"I'm not talking to you!" Even the future king of England was not save from the wrath of Eleanor Henstridge, so he let her go.

When she arrived there, the library was empty, just like she expected. Making her way to their secret book, she took it off the shelf and opened it. Nothing.

It was not Jasper's turn to write but any form of communication from him would have calmed her down a bit. As she had absolute no idea where any of the surveillance rooms were, she decided to call James. She should have done that sooner. If anyone would know where someone was in the palace, it would be their Head of Security.

"Princess?" James answered the call.

"Where is Jasper?" Eleanor felt a bit repetitive, but there was no need for small talk in her life.

"I haven't seen Mr. Frost since last night. Do you want me to call him?"

"I already did that and he is not picking up. So, you are telling me that he is not out on some errand for you or stalking me over the security feed?"

"Your Highness, I think it's safe to say that his stalking days are over. Why don't you come to my office and we look over the recordings together? I am sure that we can easily find out where he went." His serene voice calmed Eleanor down a bit.

Sure, Jasper and her usually let the other one know where they went - mainly due to Jasper's pronounced need to always keep her safe – but he most certainly had a good reason to just take off unannounced. That did not mean, though, that he will get off scot-free when he returned. Disappearing on their lazy day will need some serious making-up on his part. Thankfully he really knew how to make it all about her.

In James's office, she took a seat on his desk just like she preferred. Together they calculated around what time he might have left their room and James brought the tape to the desired timestamp.

It took only a few minutes before they saw Jasper carefully open the door and squeezing through the small gap. He was dressed in casual, black clothes and carrying a duffle bag. Eleanor recognized it as the bag he still stored in her fireplace.

Jasper took a few steps down the hall and exited through the secret door into the tunnels. Without Eleanor having to ask, James switched over to the tunnel security feed. They watched Jasper enter the closest surveillance room, but never coming back out. James fast-forwarded the video but nothing changed. The door to the surveillance room did not open again.

"What time did he leave my room?" Eleanor asked her former bodyguard.

James clicked on the hallway feed again. "Shortly after 1 a.m."

"And he is still in there? Nine hours later?"

"It is possible that he left without us seeing."

"You think he looped the tape again?" Eleanor asked in shock. "Why would he do that? It's not like we wouldn't figure out that he left."

"But it gave him a major head start to wherever he went."

"And where do you think that is?"

"I wish I knew, Princess." James brought up the surveillance room on the screen. Rewinding the tape showed that Jasper entered, pressed some buttons and left the room again a few minutes later.

Eleanor did not know what to think. Why would Jasper leave in the middle of the night, with his guns and clothes in tow? What could have happened after she fell asleep?

"You talked to him last night at the ball. Did he say anything to you? Acted weird?" Eleanor asked James, desperate for any clues.

"No, nothing. We only talked about your brother and the threat he could pose to your relationship, if he chose to do so."

"My brother…," Eleanor contemplated. "My brother!" She jumped off the desk and yanked the office door open.

"Princess, wait!" James tried to stop her with no success.

For the third time today, Eleanor found herself in front of Robert's door. This time, she was more than ready to talk, though.

Crashing into her brother's room without knocking, she found him sitting at his desk.

"What the hell, Eleanor?" Robert got up from his chair, looking at his sister like she had lost her mind.

Eleanor pushed against his chest with full force, making him stumble back into his desk.

"What did you do?" she yelled and kept on pushing against his chest. But now that Robert expected it, it did not have much of an impact.

"What are you talking about?" Robert took a hold of her forearms and held her away from himself.

Eleanor pulled her arms out of his hands and glared up at him.

"Jasper, of course!"

"Your little boyfriend? What is with him?"

"He left and I know that you have something to do with it."

"Maybe he just finally understood his place in the monarchy."

"Which would be what exactly?"

"Former bodyguard to His Royal Highness Prince Liam and secret ex-lover of Princess Eleanor. I gave him a choice – leave on his own terms or get arrested."

"You son of a bitch!" Eleanor was up in his face again. Never before had she felt so much rage towards her brother.

"To be honest though, that was already a few weeks ago. So, if he left, it had nothing to do with me. But what do you honestly expect from a Las Vegas conman? Maybe choose your next sex mate a bit more carefully, dear sister."

Not being able to stand the sight of him any longer, Eleanor turned around and left her brother behind.

* * *

Jasper exited the hotel elevator on the fifth floor, knocking on the door to room number 503. He knew who to expect on the other side and just the thought of her being in London caused a cold shiver to run down his back.

The door opened and revealed a blonde woman in her early fifties. Her rundown clothes clashed with the posh interior of the hotel room.

"Jasper, it's been way too long." The woman leaned in to give him a kiss on the cheek. Instinctively, Jasper took a step back.

"Hello, mother."


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: I'm back. A bit later than planned, but family obligations and that hearts breaking Christmas episode threw me under the bus. Thank you for sticking with me and all the reviews, favorites and follows_

* * *

Jasper paced the floor, never moving far from the door. He was not sure if he did so to make a quick exit if needed or to keep his mother from unloading her vile persona onto London's streets.

"What are you doing here?" Jasper was surprised by the calmness his voice transported, especially since he felt anything but calm on the inside. Maybe it was just detachment. He never planned on seeing his parents again – maybe to identify their dead bodies one day, but probably even that wouldn't have tempted him back to the States.

"Am I not allowed to visit my one and only son?" His mother smiled up to him, offering him a seat on the couch which he blatantly ignored.

"Considering that you only ever paid any attention to me when you needed some quick cash, I find that very hard to believe."

"I want to change that. We never had a good relationship and I miss you. I don't need money. I just wanted to see you." Jasper could smell the lie from a mile away. After all, he was his parent's son - as much as he wished otherwise.

"We never had any relationship. Cut the bullshit. Who send you here? Was it dad?" Jasper took another look around the opulent suit his mother was staying in. "Seeing as this isn't up your price range, I would guess that Si Cook paid for your trip here. What did you promise him?"

"It is not what you think," his mother realized that she was not getting anywhere with him and tried softening him with some false tears. "Your father is very sick and we need money for the treatment."

Jasper, knowing all her tricks, just looked down at her stone-faced. "Even if that were true, why should I care? As far as I'm concerned, the sooner he's gone, the better."

"He is your father, god damnit! Show some respect." Gone were the tears and pure rage was showing on his mother's face. "You owe us! We made you into what you are today. Do you think you would have ever seen the inside of a palace, if it wouldn't be for us? We got you here and we can take you away just as quickly."

Jasper casually leaned against the door, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "And I should be thankful for that?" He laughed once. "Believe me, mother, I don't owe you anything. If it were up to me, I wouldn't have any parents."

"Poor orphan Jasper…" his mother mocked him. "Then why are you here? If you hate us so much?"

"I am here to bring you back to Vegas and make sure that you never return." Jasper pushed himself away from the door and walked over to his mother's luggage, throwing in all of her personal things he saw lying around. "There is a flight in three hours and I am making sure that we are on it."

"I don't think so, young man. I came here for the money and I'm not leaving without it." His mother marched over to him, pushing her suitcase out of his reach.

Annoyed was not a strong enough word for what Jasper felt at this moment. "What does it take for you to leave? How much do you want?" He wanted this matter solved as quickly as possible.

"Three-hundred-million shouldn't be too much to ask for, is it?"

Jasper laughed out loud. "That is one damn expensive hospital bill. You can't be serious. And where do you think I can get that kind of money?"

"I think we already established that you work in the palace. It shouldn't be too hard for you to swipe some jewelry."

"Yeah, I didn't do that for myself, what makes you think I will do that for you and my supposedly sick father?"

"You just didn't have the right motivation until now. Everyone can be persuaded if the stakes are high enough. You of all people should know how the game works. You give us what we want or you pay for it."

"You want to kill me if I don't listen? Go ahead. Try." Jasper was certain that his mother was not in the possession of a gun, but he still made sure that his own was conveniently tucked into his waistband.

"Why would we kill you? That would not get us any closer to the cash, would it?" She stood up and walked over to the desk at the other end of the room.

Jasper followed her every move with a glare in his eyes. As she pulled the drawer open, his fingers began to twitch, prepared to reach for his weapon.

He watched on as his mother withdrew a piece of paper and walked back over to him. With the coffee table between them, she stopped and put the paper down.

Focusing on it, he saw that it was a newspaper article with a large picture of a dancing couple next to it. A couple he knew all too well – him and Eleanor at what looked like yesterday's New Year's Eve ball.

"You might not value your own life too much, but what is hers worth to you?"

Jasper's gun was drawn before he even made the conscious decision to move his arm. His emotions were running amok, while his mother just stood there with a satisfied grin on her face.

"Stakes high enough for you?"

The sheer amount of rage bubbling up inside his body, made him unable to give her an answer.

"I told you, you could be persuaded. Why don't we sit down and talk?" She settled on the couch and once again tapped on the empty seat next to herself. Jasper didn't move a muscle.

"Stop being so dramatic, Jasper. We both know that you will not shoot me. So, put away your gun and let's talk this over. I'm sure we can come to an agreement that everyone can live with – even the princess."

Jasper still did not move. "Do you really think you will get away with this? Even if I don't shoot you now, you will never get close enough to the Royal Family to even breath the same air they do. I will make sure of that - over my dead body."

"Oh, that can be arranged. But no one will die today. You were always too nice for your own good and _killing your own mother_ is not something nice guys do. Even your precious princess might not be able to forgive and forget that."

"What do you want?" Jasper asked, his teeth grinding against each other.

"I told you: three-hundred-million dollars. Maybe a bit much for that cocaine-loving chick of yours, but I think she is all the leverage we need."

"Or what?"

"Do you want me to spell it out to you? I always thought you were smarter, Jasper."

When he did not answer, she sighed and continued. "Or else you can kiss your princess goodbye. She will bite the dust, cash in her chips, feed the worms, will be pushing up daisies. Was that clear enough for you?"

"And how will that get you your money?"

"I am certain that you won't make it come to that. And in case you don't deliver, we can always ask for a ransom and then kill her just to spite you."

Jasper looked at his mother in disbelieve. "What happened to the woman whose biggest con was tricking businessman out of a few thousand dollars?"

"The love of her life got sick and she wanted a better future for him and herself."

Jasper snorted at her words.

"I remember a time in which you would have done the same for Samantha Cook, so don't act all high and mighty just because you think what you have now is more real than what your father and I have. The princess, she might like your dick, but in the end, that is all you will mean to her. You are and will always be the help – who robbed her blind. So, do this one final heroic thing for her and then get out. There is no future in the palace for you. If you play your cards right, we might even welcome you back with open arms."

"That will never happen!"

Jasper tried to keep his cool. Of course he would never shoot his mother, they both knew that, but this seemed to be the only way he could feel at least slightly in control of the situation. He hated who his parents made him become.

"Does she even know you are here?"

Jasper's face did not give anything away.

"I guess not. Good to see that you are so open and honest with her. Such a fairytale relationship."

"You know nothing about us!" He spit out.

"I know way more than you can imagine. My patience is running thin though, Jasper. No matter what you believe, my threat is real. I have Si's whole support in this and you know that he and his men wouldn't have been as accommodating with you as I just have been. Bring me the money by Friday or your girl's number is up."

"What makes you think I won't go to the police with your threat?"

"Who will they believe? The guy who lied his way into the palace to steal the Crown Jewels or his concerned mother who wants to bring her baby boy back home." Again with the fake tears.

Jasper took a deep breath and lowered his gun. "I might need more time."

"You have until Friday. That should give you enough time to construct a good lie why you have to leave, as you will probably prefer that. Letting her know that you were only after her money, will help her move on faster. But that is just some motherly advice."

"Mother of the year…" Jasper sputtered under his breath.

His mother rose from the couch and grabbed her handbag. "I will go out and do some sightseeing now. I don't think I can talk you into joining me, can I?"

Jasper just stared icily at her.

"No? Okay, then. I expect you back here tonight, so we can talk logistics."

With these words she was out of her room, Jasper left standing there with the gun in his hand.

* * *

Eleanor did not know how she made it through the day. Her phone never left her side and she probably called James every five minutes, asking for updates.

He got so annoyed at one point that he engaged Sara Alice for her entertainment. Eleanor considered taking her to the stables, but she did not want to destroy all of James's parenting by proving to Sara Alice that she is not really allergic to horses. Or cats or dogs for that matter. As irritation as the little girl could get sometimes, she was the best distraction one could ask for.

But now it was night and there still were no word from Jasper. If she did not know how skilled he was at protecting people, she might actually be scared for him.

She was lying in bed, still fully dressed as she did not have the strength to even consider going to sleep without Jasper by her side. It must have been months since she last slept alone. His heat was missing but at least his pillow still smelled like him.

Staring at her well, she remembered the conversation she had with him after they painted her room. It might have been cruel to lead him on that day, but in the end, it was just her own fear of not being worthy enough, that made her back paddle on the actual date.

Yet, painting her room together might be one of her favorite memories with him.

After they finished with her door, they sat down on the floor, leaning against her old settee with a bottle of Scotch in between them.

She once again apologized for ruining his shirt, before asking him why he chose the green color for her walls.

He had to take a big sip of Whisky before he was able to answer her.

"Because it's the color of your eyes."

She remembered that she was lightly blushing at his words, but nothing was said after that.

"Jasper, where are you?" She asked her empty room, her thoughts back in the present.

Closing her eyes, she felt a tear running down her cheek.

It might have been hours, it might have only been minutes but suddenly she heard her door opening.

The only person to ever enter her room without knocking was Jasper. Eleanor did not dare to open her eyes and look in case it was not him after all. She would rather imagine him finally returning than being confronted with the harsh reality of still being alone.

She did not hear any movement, so she dared to open her eyes after all. Only slightly, but enough to see Jasper standing in her doorway.

For a split second she thought of jumping up and racing towards him. To kiss him or to slap him, she was not sure herself. But the fact that he was not making a move towards her, made her stay in bed, unmoving herself.

Eleanor's room was cast in darkness, only the light from the hallway illuminated the left side of the bed. Eleanor felt herself holding her breath. What was he doing? She heard a low thud of something hitting wood and saw that Jasper was pressing his forehead against the doorframe.

"Oh, Len. I will make it right, I promise." His voice was only a whisper, more than likely not meant for her ears, but she still heard him.

He retreated back into the hallway and closed the door behind him.

In seconds Eleanor was out of her bed and jumped into the nearest pair of boots. On her way, she grabbed a leather jacket while tiptoeing towards the door. Peeking through the crack, she saw the secret door at the end of her hallway falling shut.

If Jasper was leaving through the tunnels tonight, then so was she.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: There is no excuse why this is so late. I'm sorry! I got a bit caught up in making gifs and reading instead of writing. I try to be faster in the future – as long as the last two episodes don't kill me.

* * *

Eleanor followed Jasper through the tunnels with what she deemed a safe tailing distance. Dressed in all-black, she felt even stealthier than she intended. His previous words of _"I will make it right"_ resound in her head. She was not sure what to make of them. Sure, he left in the middle of the night without a word to her or James, but she was certain that he did not mean that. Were they not past keeping secrets from each other? Eleanor knew that she was not the greatest at relationships, but she was trying. Jasper on the other hand, really needed an immediate crash course. What made him think, that hiding things from her will help with her trust issues? He had not let her down since the Mandy/Samantha incidence, but the fact that she had to secretly follow him in the middle of the night, screamed _"we really have issues!"_

In the semi-darkness, she watched Jasper take a sharp right turn and climb a flight of stairs. She waited until he disappeared through the door that led out onto London's streets, before taking the same way. She did not know this particular exit but was not surprised when she found herself on the outside of Wellington Arch. The area around her was deserted, so she could easily pick out Jasper as he jumped over the low stone wall that surrounded the square. She watched him cross the five-lane road that was empty of any vehicles and tried to keep up with him.

Facing the wall, it seemed much higher than I did from afar and she was not particularly fond of getting run over by a car either, but using the underpass would mean that she would lose him. This whole mission was dangerous anyway and some broken bones might get her sympathy from Robert and James instead of the lecture she could expect once she arrived back at the palace. Pushing herself up on the wall, she climbed over it and safely landed on the other side.

She tried to keep a steady eye on Jasper while crossing the street. It was just her luck that the road was full of cars again but she managed to cross the lanes unharmed. For a brief moment she lost sight of her boyfriend, so she picked up her pace and hurried along the street she last saw him on. It did not take long before she located him again just as he was taking a turn left into an intersecting street. Rushing after him, she took the time to again wonder what he was doing here. It must have been close to midnight now and as far as she knew there was nothing around here worth leaving the palace for.

Eleanor was finally able to slow down when she saw Jasper enter a building to her right. _The Four Seasons_. What was he doing in a hotel at night? Even though she was certain that Jasper would never cheat on her, she felt sick again and her heart began to hurt. Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm herself down. Assuming things and making rash decisions usually got her in tricky situations. She should at least give him the option to explain himself. If she was willing to believe him, that was an entirely different matter.

Inside the hotel, Eleanor did not see him anywhere in the lobby. There were not many people around, so she followed the signs towards the _Amaranto Bar_. In case she would not find Jasper there, she would at least be able to get drunk - an idea that sounded better and better every passing second.

The room itself was not very big. One wall housed a short bar, another was used for storing and showcasing hundreds of bottles of wine. There were no more than fifteen round tables with small, red armchairs surrounding them.

Unlike the lobby or the streets outside, the bar was well-attended. It still did not take Eleanor long before she found Jasper sitting on one of the small tables – his back to her. Across from him sat a blonde woman. She looked way older than him but even despite her plain clothes and little make-up she was rather beautiful. Eleanor could not see Jasper's face, but the woman seemed to be really excited to be in his company. Not wanting to be caught starring, Eleanor quickly occupied a stool in front of the bar and ordered some Vodka. Her thoughts were running wild. She still could not believe that Jasper would ever cheat on her, but this made him looked extremely guilty.

The bartender handed her the shot glass and she quickly emptied it. "One more," she ordered the man around and he followed her instruction.

Turning back towards Jasper, she saw the woman take her boyfriend's hand and holding it down on the table. Eleanor quickly turned around again and pulled the Vodka bottle from the bartender's hand.

"Leave it!"

She poured herself two more shots but they did not help her feeling any calmer.

For about 20 minutes, she watched the couple have, what seemed to be, an intense conversation before the woman stood up to leave for the lady's room.

Jasper rested his elbows on the table and put his head into his hands. He was not able to see Eleanor coming as she left her barstool to make her way to him.

"I get that she is hot, but I hoped that my mother had turned you off MILFs." Eleanor addressed her boyfriend.

Jasper's head shot up. Instead of the guilt she expected to see on his face, he looked scared. Scared of being discovered? What did he expect she would do? She was not about to make a scene in a packed bar. It was a miracle already that no one recognized her.

Coming to his senses, Jasper jumped up and grabbed her arm.

"What are you doing here?" he hissed and started to pull her towards the exit.

Eleanor was not in the mood to being manhandled and tried with all her strength to stand firm.

"Don't you want to introduce me to your new girl?" she sneered at him. "Or is she not that new at all? How long has this been going on, Jasper?"

"You can't be here," he ignored her question. He cast a quick look towards the washrooms and pulled at his girlfriend's arm again.

Despite her trying to hold them in, tears began to pool in Eleanor's eyes. Not having the strength to withstand Jasper any longer, she let him pull her out the door. With her head facing the floor, she walked with him through the lobby and out onto the street.

It had started to rain and the weather perfectly reflected her mood. She did not want Jasper to see her cry, so she quickly turned away from him and dried her tears with her sleeve.

Apparently, Jasper was not satisfied with just pulling her out of the hotel, as he dragged her along down the street before pushing her into a side street next to a menswear shop.

Eleanor pressed her back against the glass storefront, starring daggers at Jasper, her sorrow pushed aside for the moment.

He peeked around the corner, checking for God knows what.

"Okay," he concentrated on her again. "You need to leave."

"And you need to explain yourself."

Jasper's fearful expression quickly turned into an angry one. "God damn, Eleanor! Can you just listen for once in your life?"

He rested both of his hands on the glass next to her head and pressed his forehead against hers. "I promise, I will explain all of this when I return to the palace. It is not safe for you here."

She raised her hands to his chest and pushed him away from her.

"It's Mayfair on a Sunday night. I think I'm fine. Your new lady friend might not be though, once I get my hands on her." Eleanor fires back.

Jasper pinched the bridge of his nose. "She is neither a lady nor my friend. Please just let this go."

Eleanor crossed her arms and kept on starring daggers at him.

"Do you trust me?" he tried to appease her.

"You think that is an appropriate question right now?"

"Eleanor, do you really think I tell you that I love you and the next day cheat on you with an older woman? Do you think so little of me? Do you really not trust me?"

She did not get the opportunity to answer, as they both heard someone call his name.

"Ah, another American," Eleanor remarked, recognizing the woman's accent. "Maybe Samantha's mother that you supposedly shagged?" she spat out.

Jasper pressed his eyes shut and took a deep breath. "No. But she is my mother."

Eleanor looked at him in shock. "What?"

"You need to stay here until I have her back inside. Don't do anything stupid. Go home. I will come back as soon as I can."

They heard the clicking of heels coming closer.

"Why don't you introduce…"

"No!" Jasper interrupted her. "Stay!"

"Jasper?" His mother called him again, very close to their hiding spot now.

Jasper pulled Eleanor close and gave her a deep kiss. "Trust me," he pleaded before pushing her away, further into the shadow.

He rounded the corner and it only took a few seconds before Eleanor heard his mother's voice again.

"What are you doing out here? You were not running off telling all your little bodyguard buddies about me, were you?"

"I just needed some fresh air."

"I hope so. Come on. There is still so much to talk about. We don't want you to fail again, do we? You know what's at stake."

Eleanor waited a few more minutes until she was sure they were gone. Her head was spinning. So much had happened in the last hour, she did not know what to think of it all. Pulling her jacket close, she braved the weather and made her way back to Wellington Arch.

The rain hit her hard, but she deserved it. Was Jasper right? Did she still not trust him? Sure, his track record was never the best, but she knew that before she decided to become serious with him. How could they ever have a healthy relationship if she thinks that he might deceive her any waking moment? On the other hand, he did keep his mother's appearance a secret and he disappeared for the whole day without any notice or explanation. Why was never anything simple with them? They must be the most ridiculously tragic couple in all of England.

Her thin jacket was not made for these kinds of temperatures and the rain, so she was completely drenched by the time she made it to the tunnel door in Wellington Arch. After checking that she was alone, she pressed her right thumb onto the hidden scanner and the door opened.

The way back to the palace felt endless.

She did not want to return to her room, as every surface there reminded her of Jasper and she could use some minutes without him in her thoughts, but her clothes were soaked and she desperately needed a shower.

No one stopped her upon her return. She wasn't even sure if anyone noticed her gone, which was for the better, because she was not up for a lecture about the dangers of leaving the palace alone. What was the worst that could happen? A few people wanting Selfies with her? She hardly considered that _dangerous_. Liam left the palace all the time and nothing ever happened to him.

In the shower her thoughts wandered back to Jasper after all. It was hard not to think of him when his shower gel was basically starring at her.

Why was love so scary, confusing and difficult? She knew that Jasper tried everything to show her who he really was on the inside and she was certain that his feelings for her were genuine. She loved him, she knew she did, but then why was she so quick to think the worst of him? But maybe she just thought the worst of herself. She was doing so much better, but her life will always be a shit show. He might have had a shameful past, but he was still the better person. Being honest with herself, she realized that she just projected her own insecurities on him. It was easier to blame him, than actually admitting her fears. Trusting someone meant getting hurt. Jasper might seem like the last person you should trust, but he was the only one who would never let her down. At the same time, he needed to learn how to trust her, too. He could not just run off, leaving her behind with no clue why he left. They really needed to work on their communication.

Eleanor left the shower and got dressed in sleep shorts and a top. She fixed herself a drink and cuddled up on her bed.

She really wished she knew what was going on. Poor Jasper. He looked anything but excited to have his mother here and now she made it even worse by being a total bitch to him. Still, he should have told her why he was leaving.

She must have dozed off, because the next time she opened her eyes, Jasper was trying to push her back towards her own side of the bed.

"What are you doing?" She asked him with a drowsy voice, blinking her eyes open.

"Trying to go to sleep," he answered, pushing her once again.

"Just use my side, you idiot," she closed her eyes, already half asleep again.

"Eloquent as always." Jasper climbed over her to get to the other side of the bed.

Eleanor took a sniff of him, hoping that his scent would provide her with pleasant dreams. Instead of his musky odor, she smelled cheap flowery perfume and all memories from the past day returned.

She sat up with a jolt and pushed Jasper aside.

"You!" She pointed an accusing finger at him. "You owe me an explanation."

Jasper was not faced by Eleanor's angry tone. He slipped under the blanket and tried to get comfortable on the unfamiliar pillow.

"Can't that wait until tomorrow? I've been up for over 40 hours now and really need some sleep."

"So you can just sneak out again before I wake up? I don't think so. Get up!" Eleanor pushed and kicked against his back to make him move.

He did not stir.

"Get up, get up, get up!" With each word she got louder and her kicks got harder.

"Geez, Eleanor! Stop it!" Jasper sat up and grabbed her legs to hold them still.

"Not until you tell me what is going on," she huffed, annoyed that she couldn't move under Jasper's strong hands.

Jasper waited until she stopped struggling before letting go of her. He leaned against the headboard and closed his eyes.

"Promise me, that you will let me handle this my way. You will not interfere and you will listen to me when I tell you to stay put. No more running off in the middle of the night. There are things even I might not be able to protect you from."

"Just tell me already!"

"Okay…"


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: I am so deeply sorry for letting this story sit for over 6 months! I have no idea where the time went and there is no excuse for not updating for this long. I had so much trouble deciding how much Jasper was going to tell Eleanor, as I wanted him to be canon, but also not make the same stupid mistake he did in the show, because then we wouldn't need fanfiction. I'm not 100% happy with how this chapter turned out and maybe I will go back and change things, but for today, I'm just happy that I got to write something at all. I really hope I'm back for real now and can update more often. Again, I'm so sorry._

* * *

Eleanor starred at Jasper as he leaned against the headboard. He still hasn't opened his eyes or started talking to her.

She was quickly losing her patience with him. "You can either start explaining what is going on or you can look for a new place to sleep."

"Did you maybe consider that it might be better for you not to know? That I'm not telling you things to keep you safe? I'm not the villain here, Eleanor."

His intense stare would have intimidated her, if she wasn't so angry at him right now.

"And you are no hero either. I'm not sitting here, playing some defenseless damsel in distress so you can feel better about yourself. Is that what they teach you over there in America? That girls need saving? I've survived before you came along and I will continue to do so once you are gone." The moment she said it, Eleanor realized how her words must have sounded to him. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. It was just a figure of speech," she tried to apologize, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"Great. So, you are planning on a future without me. Thanks for letting me know, so I can plan ahead. That is just what I needed to hear from the girl I love. Are you planning that I leave or will you just get tired of me? I was gone for one day and I didn't tell you about it. I'm sorry about that, but I'm sick of you always expecting the worst from people. How many times do I have to tell you that I'm here to stay." His words might have been harsher than he intended them to be, but this whole day he has been on edge.

"It just came out wrong. Please forget about it. I don't want to fight with you. Especially not over something that is not true. You know how much I care about you and how happy you make me."

Jasper did not miss the fact that she still hasn't told him that she loved him. He never wanted to pressure her, knowing how hard it was for her to trust people in the past, but his mother was right: Eleanor was worth more to him, than his own life and he just wanted to hear the confirmation that she felt the same. The last thing he wanted to do was fight, but if keeping her in the dark was the only way to keep her safe, he would have to take this path.

He gave her a kiss on her forehead and pulled her closer to his side. They sat in silence for a few minutes before Eleanor started talking again.

"Do you really not want to talk about your mum?"

"To be honest? No."

Eleanor waited a moment for him to continue and when he didn't, she mumbled something about _"pig-headed, annoying American bodyguards"_ and turned away from him. Pulling the blanket up to her chin, she tried to get comfortable again on her pillow. She might or might not have deliberately kicked Jasper once again while stretching her legs.

"Len…" Jasper tried to appease his girlfriend.

"I think you know your way out."

Jasper did not move and Eleanor was beyond caring at this point. She just wanted this day to finally be over.

"I got a text message last night, right after you fell asleep," Jasper finally began explaining.

Eleanor didn't move, but he knew that she was listening.

"It didn't say much, just that my mother was in town and she demanded to see me. For everyone else that might be a happy occasion, but with my family, that is bad. I don't want them here. I don't want them anywhere near you."

"They can't be that bad. You know my family and we are as nuts as it gets."

"My family is just trouble and they know people who are even worse. Just think about _Mandy_."

"I'd rather not, thank you very much," Eleanor responded with obvious disgust in her voice. "Why did you go to meet here then, if she is so horrible?"

"I wanted to get her out of the city. There was a flight to Las Vegas around noon and I wanted to make sure she was on it."

Eleanor left the comfortable place on her pillow, turned around and sat up. "You would have flown to Las Vegas without letting me know? That was why you took your clothes?"

"I couldn't trust her to leave on her own," Jasper retaliated. "And I would have let you known once we boarded the flight. I promise," he tried to calm his girlfriend down. "I hoped that it would all be handled before you woke up."

"Why is she still here then? If you had it all planned so diligently?" Jasper couldn't help but detect the sarcasm in her tone.

"She wants my help with something and thinks that she can get it by threatening me."

"What does she want your help for?"

"Apparently, my father is sick and she need money for his treatment. And before you get all compassionate, remember that, while your father would have been worth saving, mine isn't. I'm not even sure if it's true. I spent all day contacting people who could find out, but for now, no one has gotten back to me."

"Why would she lie about something like this?"

"Because _lying_ is what they do. It's their profession. You can't believe any word that is coming out of her mouth."

"Why not just give them the money and send her on her way?"

"Apart from the fact the not a single cell in my body feels obligated to help them, they would never be satisfied with what I give them. They are greedy beyond compare and would never stop coming back."

"So, we go to the police and get her deported. In case you forgot, we are the Royal Family and even if we don't rule, we still have some kind of power."

"It's not that easy. She hasn't done anything wrong yet. There are no actual grounds you could get her arrested on. And I'm certain she is not here on her own. It seems like she employed the help of some Vegas higher-ups. They are dangerous and I don't want you or the family anywhere near them. I will find another way to get rid of them."

"We will find another way."

Jasper tried to protest, but Eleanor did not give him a chance. "What's the immediate plan now? Did she give you a timeframe to come up with the money?"

"She wants it by Friday."

"That gives us five days. But to be honest, what could she really do if you don't get it to her. Have her henchman beat you up? I'm sure you can take them", Eleanor laughed.

"Something like that…" Jasper mumbled.

"How about, we try to forget today ever happened, you take a shower to get this nasty smell off of you and then, you make it up to me, that I had to spent all day entertaining Sara Alice instead of having you entertain me?"

On some level, Jasper was glad that Eleanor did not understand the magnitude of what it meant to have his family here, but how could she, if he did not tell her the whole truth. Keeping her in the dark was the only way he could handle this with a clear head. He knows her well enough to be sure that she would have no trouble getting into danger's way if it meant keeping him alive. Just like he would do for her.

Making his way to the shower, Jasper knew that his time with Eleanor was about to come to an end. Trying to shake all negative thought out of his head, he decided to cherish every moment he will have left with her. Starting right after his shower, when he planned to show her once again who much he loved her.

Just when he was about to enter the bathroom, Eleanor called after him.

"What's her name anyway? Your mother's?"

"Mary," he replied.

Eleanor snorted at the irony of it. "Mary…"

Moving further into the middle of the bed, she took her top off and threw it towards her boyfriend. "Hurry up, bodyguard. You have a lot to make up for and the night is short."

* * *

The next morning, Jasper was woken up by a text message that arrived a few minutes before his alarm was about to go off.

"Is it your mum again?"

Jasper quickly turned around, not expecting Eleanor to be awake at this hour. She looked like she had been awake for a while. "Why are you already up?"

"Couldn't really sleep." She pointed towards his phone that was still lying on his bedside table. "So, is it from your mum?"

Jasper blindly reached for the phone, not taking his eyes away from the princess. The feeling of guilt for her sleepless night was pressing down on his chest. His mother has just been here for roughly a day and already Eleanor was suffering. Why was his former life only good for hurting her?

"It's actually from James. He wants to see me first thing," he told her.

"That's probably my fault. I might have bothered him a bit yesterday while looking for you." She grabbed her pillow, placed it on his bare chest and snuggled up to him.

Jasper grinned at his girlfriend's need for sleep and positioned her body between his legs. "He could have easily traced my phone."

"That's what I said." Eleanor murmured, close to finally falling asleep. "But he said that you are his employee, not his charge and that he wouldn't betray your trust like that. Apparently, he didn't find my threat of firing him very believable. Why does everyone here seem to forget that I'm the princess?" she barely got the last words out.

"Because you are more cuddly kitty than menacing tigress, my love. And how am I supposed to go get up for work now?"

Jasper didn't receive an answer, as Eleanor was already fast asleep. He quickly took a picture of her lying on top of him, sending it to James and Liam, apologizing in advance for being late.

* * *

It took a while for Jasper to maneuver the princess back to her side of the bed without waking her, but in the end, he was just 15 minutes late.

Knocking on the open door to James' office to announce his arrival, he entered and closed the door behind him.

"She found you after all. How bad was her wrath?" James joked about Eleanor's temper, while Jasper took a seat across from his boss.

He let his head fall back, pressing the heels of his hands again his eyes. "I fucked up!" he confessed, not answering James' question.

"We know that. Why did you take off without letting her know? I have never seen her this worried before. She was besides herself. That girl loves you more than she even understands. You both know that I care for you equally, but in the end, my loyalty lies with her. If I think that you are a threat to her safety, emotionally or physically, I will have to take you out. And don't think that I wasn't aware of her little adventure outside the palace walls last night. What were you thinking letting her follow you around?"

"That makes one of us."

"What?"

"I didn't know that she was following me, alright? I fucked up! I was preoccupied and I didn't realize that she was following me! You better fire me now, because with that is going on, there is no way I will not hurt her."

"What are you talking about?" James was getting agitated by Jasper's inability to come out with information.

"I can't tell you. Only I can fix it."

"You can't or you won't? Jasper, is the Princess or anyone else of the family in danger?"

"Not if I can help it."

"I know you think you can't trust anyone and need to fix everything on your own, but if there is a threat on the family, I need to know. As your boss and the person responsible for the safety of this family, I command you to tell me what is going on."

It took a few minutes for Jasper to move and actually look at James. He took a deep breath and for probably the first time in his life confided in someone. He knew that no one could actually help him, but maybe saying the words out loud, could help him breath a bit easier.

"My mother wants me to steal jewels worth three-hundred-millions dollars by Friday or she will have someone kidnap and possible kill Eleanor for ransom."

James looked at him in shock. "Your mother…"

"My mother."

"I knew your family was a disappointment, but this… And you really think she is capable of it?"

"Not on her own. But she is in cahoots with Si Cook, Samantha's father, and he is capable of anything. I am certain that she is owing him money and I was their last resort of paying him back. Even if this gets too hot for my mother, Si will get his money's worth – any way he deems fit."

"Okay. What's the plan?" James started looking through papers. "She has her interview and photoshoot on Thursday, but that can be rearranged. Where do you think she is safest? We could send her to Wales. Or is it better to get her out of the U.K.? I'm sure she wouldn't object to a holiday on some tropical island. Yes, that will be the best idea."

Jasper had never seen the Head of Security this tense.

"Should we send Liam with her? Will you go along? No, you will probably have to stay here to keep up pretense. But she is safest with you, so maybe just keep her inside the palace. Should I tell her now?"

"James. James!" Jasper had to stand up and cover the paper his boss was looking at, to make James notice him again. "I am not telling her and I'm not taking her out of the country. She cannot know what it going on."

"And how will you keep her safe that way? You know that she will never forgive you if you keep this from her."

"Any change in her normal schedule will be noticed by Si and his men. She cannot disappear. They will find her. I have five days. I will come up with something. And I'd rather live without her forgiveness than have her put in danger. What she doesn't know, won't hurt her." He turned and made his way towards the door.

"Jasper, that doesn't make any sense and you know it. I will have to tell her," his boss practically yelled after him.

Jasper stopped and dropped his head in defeat. "Please, don't."

"I will give you 24 hours. If you haven't come up with a plan by then, I will tell her and extract her from the palace."

Jasper knew that he couldn't change James' mind, so he said nothing and quietly left the office.


End file.
